hi everyone.
                 i have just bought a new shih tzu puppy. i am looking for people with information about cleft pallette. i would like to know about on going problems and breeding, as i also have a female. thanks. regards sally.

Are you saying your new puppy has a cleft palate? If so, as far as I knwo a dog with this condition should never be used for breeding.

JG is right, should never be bred from. Cleft palates can be either heriditary or caused by something that happened during the early stages of the pregnancy, but it is virtually impossible to find out which, so it should always be assumed it IS hereditary -and in most cases it is. My query would be what was done to the pup as normally they do no survive unless they either are tube fed or have surgery to repair it -an animal with cleft palate cannot normally suckle. (Not only is it difficult for the animal to latch on, but the milk will go through the hole and out via the nose, instead of down into the stomach.)

Are you sure you mean a cleft palate ? they usually dont thrive and are prone to infections, most are pts if born.